A Former Batman Actor’s Directorial Debut Is An Overlooked Holiday Film That’s Streaming For Free

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While Batman is often considered the defining role for this actor, dedicated fans appreciate his range and ability to excel in diverse projects, from the quirky Beetlejuice to the dramatic Birdman.

Many people know Michael Douglas as an actor – he’s even been nominated for an Academy Award – but fewer realize he’s also a director. You should definitely check out his directorial debut, The Merry Gentleman, especially now during the holidays. It’s currently available to watch for free on Tubi and Plex.

The Merry Gentleman Is Not A Typical Holiday Film

Don’t mistake it for the 2024 film of the same name! The Merry Gentleman is a story about an unexpected friendship that blossoms during a chilly Christmas in Chicago. It centers on Frank Logan, a contract killer struggling with depression, and Kate Frazier, a woman from Scotland trying to rebuild her life after leaving an abusive marriage.

Frank and Kate meet in a strange way – involving a big Christmas tree and a bout of pneumonia – and quickly connect. Their relationship becomes a welcome source of support for both of them, but it also unexpectedly leads to trouble, becoming the very thing they needed to avoid.

Just as Kate is getting to know Frank, she also meets Murcheson, a divorced detective who is instantly drawn to her and becomes very protective. His concern grows when a murder investigation leads him to believe the killer might be someone Kate knows well.

Premiering at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, The Merry Gentleman is a distinctive film that mixes crime, comedy, and romance. While it received generally positive reviews (with a 65% score on Rotten Tomatoes) upon its 2009 theatrical release, it didn’t perform well at the box office, earning just $347,977 worldwide. Despite this, the film has gained recognition as one of Michael Keaton’s best, even surpassing his work in Jack Frost.

Michael Keaton Also Co-Leads The Merry Gentleman Cast

Michael Keaton has said in several interviews that he particularly enjoyed directing himself in The Merry Gentleman. He also plays the lead role of Frank Logan, giving a subtle performance as a man who is deeply unhappy with the path his life has taken.

But many would say Kelly Macdonald is the real standout in this show. Having started her film career with Trainspotting, she’s gone on to appear in critically acclaimed films like the Best Picture winner, No Country for Old Men, and the popular series, “Hated in the Nation.” She brilliantly portrays Kate Frazier, bringing a genuinely positive and hopeful energy to the often-dark story, even with the character’s difficult background.

In addition to the main cast, The Merry Gentleman includes Bobby Cannavale, known for his role in Ant-Man. He later co-starred with Macdonald in the popular HBO series Boardwalk Empire, following his compelling performance as Michael Elkhart, the estranged husband of the main character. Tom Bastounes plays Det. Murcheson and, despite having limited acting experience, delivers an impressive performance as a clever but uncertain police investigator, hinting at potential for a successful acting career.

Similar to Michael Keaton, Bastounes – who bears a striking resemblance to Bill Pullman – was also an executive producer on The Merry Gentleman. Before that, he produced, starred in, co-wrote, and co-directed the 1999 romantic comedy The Opera Lover alongside Ron Lazaretti, who also wrote The Merry Gentleman. He continued to take on both producing and directing roles in films like 2015’s Shut Up and Dance and 2017’s A Chance in the World. He and Keaton haven’t worked together since, and given what happened after the film came out, a future collaboration seems unlikely.

Michael Keaton Faced A Lawsuit Related To The Merry Gentleman

Michael Keaton ended up directing The Merry Gentleman because the original director, Ron Lazarett, had to have emergency surgery for a burst appendix. Keaton says he liked making the movie, but things became difficult after filming wrapped up.

In 2014, the company behind the film sued Michael Keaton, arguing he was responsible for its disappointing performance. They stated he hadn’t cooperated with the final editing, refusing to help and even threatening to pull support from the film if his preferred version wasn’t shown at the Sundance Film Festival.

The filmmakers also felt Keaton didn’t do enough to publicize the movie. However, given how much press he actually did for The Merry Gentleman, and how positively he spoke about it, it’s not surprising that Merry Gentleman LLC lost their lawsuit.

The court sided with Keaton, finding that the person who sued him didn’t offer enough proof to back up their claims. It’s possible, though, that this legal battle contributed to his long break from directing.

The Merry Gentleman Is Only Michael Keaton’s First “Gold-Hearted Hitman” Story

Michael Keaton didn’t direct another film for 15 years after The Merry Gentleman, but when he did, he found the experience strangely similar to his previous work.

Released in 2024, Knox Goes Away features Michael Keaton as a hitman facing a difficult personal challenge. Unlike some of his other roles, this character, John “Aristotle” Knox, isn’t trying to end his own life, but he learns he has a rapidly progressing and debilitating brain disease called Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD).

Just as Knox was planning to retire after receiving some upsetting news, his estranged son, Miles, unexpectedly showed up. Miles confessed to killing the man who had assaulted his daughter and pleaded with Knox to help him cover it up. Despite his declining mental state, Knox agreed to help his son avoid prison, seeing it as his last important task.

It’s interesting how often Michael Keaton seems to be drawn to playing sympathetic hitmen in his films. He recently shared that his upcoming movie, starring Morgan Freeman and Laura Linney, will explore themes of memory and memory loss, similar to his film Knox Goes Away. It makes you wonder what other elements from that earlier movie might show up in this new one.

Michael Keaton, still popular at 74, is a favorite actor for many viewers – as recent reactions to his work prove. While he’s well-known as an actor, his directing hasn’t gotten as much attention. It’s worth checking out his films, like The Merry Gentleman and Knox Goes Away, because they have a unique sense of realism that’s uncommon in similar movies. His latest directing project is a short film called Sweetwater, which was co-written by his son, Sean Douglas.

It’s fascinating how many Batman actors, beyond Michael Keaton, have become directors. George Clooney, who starred in Batman & Robin, has directed nine films and even earned an Oscar nomination for Good Night, and Good Luck. Ben Affleck was already a successful director before taking on the role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and even Will Arnett, known for The LEGO Batman Movie, directed an episode of his Netflix series, Flaked. Makes you wonder if Robert Pattinson, or the next actor to play Batman in the DCU, might also move into directing.

The Merry Gentleman is available to stream on Tubi and Plex.

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2025-12-13 20:08